Natasha Harries works in The Fed’s fundraising department. She put her hand up to help out at our Project Smile summer holiday play camp and writes about her experiences:
Day 1 My first morning at the children’s centre and I’m pretty nervous. Am I going to be any good with kids that aren’t my own? I take my time to get orientated – observing what’s going on – the routine, the different behaviours of the children and how each child is approached differently by our wondrous staff.
There’s a big team of play leaders, sessional workers, volunteers, plus a couple of office workers, like me, helping out. I can’t help wondering why I’m needed but I realise very quickly: each beautifully unique child has either a physical or learning disability, behavioural issues – usually due to an autistic spectrum disorder – or a combination of these.
Brief moments of shyness on arrival melt away quickly. In a short time, they’ve become fountains of energy. I love watching this.
I notice the attention to detail. So much work has been done in advance to make sure the camp is a success – printing out lunch menus to take the children’s orders, setting out different stimulating activities.
There are chess tournaments, arts and crafts and jigsaw puzzle races going on inside, but the children are encouraged to spend as much time as possible outside in nature. Corn, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, and sunflowers are growing in the garden; there’s a sand pit, mud kitchen, bikes, trikes and scooters, a shop, tents, a music corner, football and more.
The saying comes to mind: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing,” and that is very much the attitude of Karen Ramsey one of the play leaders. I couldn’t agree with her more in a world where children struggle more than ever with their mental health.
The end of my half day and I’m told that tomorrow we’re off on a trip to Gulliver’s World. Yey! Lucky me! I’m being partnered with a boy who loves fast rides as much as I do!
Day 2 Gulliver’s World here we come! The day starts with each worker being assigned a child to look after for the day and then we are all divided into groups of four.
Next, it’s a classic coach journey of “are we there yet?” with some “eye-spy” on the go.
We arrive and discover that we have been allocated fast passes for the rides. Could it get any better? We go on nine rides! My only qualm is going upside-down on a ride in a long skirt! It’s the longest two minutes of my life as I desperately clench the material with my calves while holding onto my glasses which are falling off my face and grabbing my work ID pass as it’s falling off my neck. Fortunately, I land with my dignity intact, mentally noting: “Leggings underneath next time!!!”
The coach ride home is an eye-opener. Everyone is exhausted and it’s clear from some of the behaviours we see in the kids. One little boy in particular is kicking, smacking, screaming, and trying to undo his seatbelt.
I’m utterly in awe of Carol Booth, another of our play leaders; calm and collected she takes control of the situation, receiving a 25-minute beating in the process. She is a superstar. He shouts that she is a “poo head” (and worse). He hits her repeatedly and she calmly keeps on talking, asking about his day.
Suddenly, I hear “Natasha” from across the coach and peaking over the top of the seat in front I see that he is finally composed, and Carol wants to tell me what he wants for Chanukah. The others jump on the bandwagon knowing that as part of my “day job” I’m organising The Fed’s Chanukah Toy Drive. I feel very important as I’m inundated with requests for toys!
Day 3 My last day helping out on the play camp and it’s Circus Day. I’m feeling more confident now I know the children quite a bit better.
A couple of children I haven’t met before come running up to me and hold my hand. One little girl tells me that I’m not allowed to leave her all day! I feel really honoured.
Two ladies arrive from a circus school and teach us all sorts of circus tricks. I’m helping two girls one of whom has been very quiet over the previous days. She’s giggling her way through the morning, spinning plates and balancing feathers dressed up as a clown. It’s joyful to witness her and all the others having the time of their lives.
In the afternoon we head over to the Seaside Garden – a magnificent sensory garden at Heathlands Village which is made to look just like an old seaside town with a prom, and beach-huts and the sounds of waves and seagulls. It’s amazing. There’s even an ice-cream man (one of The Fed’s amazing volunteers, shhhh, don’t give the game away) serving cones from his kiosk.
My heart feels so full it’s ready to explode and to top it all off, I today I have learnt how to balance an ostrich feather on my nose!!! What more could a girl want?!
It has been a full-on day and by the end I am knackered. The children’s centre staff have been running these play camps all summer. How do they have the energy? My admiration for them is ginormous!
In the office I hear about what they do, and I see photos of what goes on in other parts of The Fed but nothing compares to seeing it with my own eyes and being fully immersed in the world of the children’s centre.
My two and a half days are just a snippet, but so important to my ever-growing pool of knowledge about The Fed. I genuinely feel privileged to have been asked to help.
It really made me understand so much more about what it’s like for the families we support – the strain on Mum and Dad, and how it must be for siblings when so much of their parents’ attention has to focus on a child in the middle of a meltdown. Your whole life must feel like you’re treading on eggshells, as who knows what will set them off again?
I saw how much focus Carol and Karen had to have on that return coach journey. It took all their efforts and time and humungous amounts of patience to calm that little boy down, and still keep an eye on the others. And I certainly saw why so many staff and volunteers were needed.
I understood what it must be like for that child’s family when he is being looked after by The Fed – how they get to relax, focus on their other kids or each other, do jobs around the house, go out together. I’ve heard parents of children who have meltdowns speak about how destructive it can be and the domino effect on the whole family and I now totally see why.
I’m so proud of the service we offer these children and their families. I’m so in awe of our colleagues in Project Smile. And I’m still full of joy from my time spent with these gorgeous but challenging children.